groff / eqn / ps2pdf / square root problem

[Ryan Schmidt]

On Jul 23, 2007, at 13:35, Greg Shenaut wrote:

> I really don't know where to direct this problem. I have a =20
> manuscript that I format with groff -e -ms that has an inline =20
> equation using the eqn "sqrt" operator. When I format the =20
> manuscript to postscript, and look at it (with gv) or print it on a =20=

> postscript printer, the square-root radical comes out perfectly. =20
> However, when I use ps2pdf to "distill" the postscript to pdf, the =20
> equation is a complete mess: it starts OK, prints the =C3 ok, but =20
> then backspaces about an inch, and prints the rest semi-randomly on =20=

> top of the first part. When I use Adobe or pstopdf, I get slightly =20
> different errors, but neither is correct. It appears to be an =20
> interaction between how groff generates the postscript code and how =20=

> the pdf distillers interpret it.
>
> I am using OSX 10.4.10, groff 1.19.2_1, and ghostscript 8.54_0.
>
> For the moment, I've used a little algebra and rewritten the =20
> relevant section of my manuscript in such a way as to avoid the =20
> square root, but it would be really great if someone could take a =20
> look at this for future purposes.

You'll probably have to ask the authors (or mailing lists) of groff =20
or ps2pdf or pstopdf. The topic of this list is using MacPorts to =20
install software, and it sounds like you have already managed to =20
install the software. Using the individual software packages is a =20
matter to be discussed elsewhere.